solomon



Au as, 1928. C. J. SOLOMON MECHANISM FOR STRETCHING SHEETS 0F MATERIAL 6 Sheets-Sheet l fiz /w/fl ATTORNEKS' Filed J o 4, 1926.

Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,356

c. .1. SOLOMON MECHANISM FOR STRETCHING SHEETS OF MATERIAL Filed June 4, 1926 e Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY$ Aug. 28, 1928.

C. J. SOLOMON MECHANISM FOR STRETCHING SHEETS OF MATERIAL e Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 4, 1926 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,356 v C. J. SOLOMON MECHANISM FOR STRETCHING SHEETS OF MATERIAL Filed June 4, 1926 6 Shets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR A'ITORNEY Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,356

c. J. SOLOMON MECHANISM FOR STRETCHING SHEETS OF MATERIAL Filed June 4, 1926 6 Slieets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1928.

C. J. SOLOMON MECHANISM FOR STRETCHING SHEETS OF MATERIAL Filed June 4, 1.926

6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEN'TOR ATTORNEYS ings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that the Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CECIL J. SOLOMON, 0']? NEW YORK, N.-Y.

MECHANISM FOR s'rrmrcnme snnn'rs or MATERIAL.

Application filed June 4, 1926. Serial No. 113,597. 3

My invention relates to a new and impilpved mechanism for stretching furs and the One of the objects of my invention is to do: vise a mechanism for stretching furs which will be simple and durable in .construction, and which will be safe and easyto operate, and which will operate rapidly and safely.

Another object of my invention is to devise a mechanism whereby the fur, skin or the like is stretched in two directions transverse to. each other, so as to eliminate the moisture from the fur as much as possible and to provide amaximum effect.

Another object of my invention is to tie vise a mechanism whereby the fur will be stretched and dried under the most favorable circumstances. I Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawabove general statement of the objects of my Y invention is intended merely to generally explainthe same and not to limit it in any manner.

F1g.'1 s a top v1ew.

tion. I

Fig. 3 is a section on'the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is an end elevation. r

Fig. 5is a detail view,

and dry furs, after they have been tanned and dyed and sewed together, in order that they I should have the proper final shape. It has been customary heretofore to do this by simply stretching the furs upon a stationary frame and allowing them to dry in the open air for a suitable length of time.

quired a great deal of valuable space.

According to my invention, the furs or composite sheets of fur (each sheet consisting of matically stretched, then held in the stretched released. The mechanism is held upon a suitable frame to which the walls of a chamber or compartment 10 are connected. This compartment 10 is provided with a top portion 11 and an intermediate portion 12.

'tively. slow motion.

Figs. 6-.-8 are detail views showing gripping fingers in various posltlons, Fig. 8 be- K This method has been slow and expensive and re- 45 The main .shaft 24 is held ina suitable bearing and it is revolved by any suitable means as, for example, by a high speed elec .tric motor which is directly connected thereto. The bevel gear 22 meshes with a suitablejcorresponding gear on the main shaft, 24. The

bevel gear22 is on the same shaft with the worm 21 and this meshes with the worm wheel 20 mounted upon the shaft The shaft of the worm 21- is mountedin the gear box 19. 7 By means of the reduction gearing thus, mentioned the shaft 25 1s given a rela- The shaft 25 is provided "'Wltll a sprocket as shown in Fig. 2. andthis is connected by means of a chain 27Wltl1' the sprocket 26 mounted upon the first transverse shaft .30; A similar rear; idler shaft 31. is

provided. As shownin Fig. 3, the idler shaft 31 is provided with sprockets 38., and as shown in Fig. 1, the front shaft 30"is provided with sprockets 37. The sprockets 37 and 38 are connected by means of chain-conveyershaving pins 47 shown inldetail in Figs.

5 and 6. Grippers 39 are mounted upon the pins 47'. Each gr1pper 39 comprises a body -portion 40 in which a pin40" is slidably a mounted. The lower gripper finger 43 forms Fig. 2 is an end elevation partiallyinseci.

an extensionIof the pin. 40 and the upper gripper finger-43 has a body portion 41 whichv 1s plvotally connected at'42 tothe lower grips per finger 43. A spring 44 holds the two gripper fingers 43 in'normally closed position and each upper body portion 41 is provided with a control roller 45. i

As shown in Figs. 1 and 7, stationary cam members 33 are provided at the ends ofthe provided with cam grooves 35. I The-pins 40 have studs orrollers 46 which slide between the upper guides 48. These members 46 are also adapted to abut a lower guide 49 in their lower position. bers 32are provided at theends of the shaft 30, and the front cam members 32 are provided with cam grooves 34 as shown in Fig. 5. Hence, when the gripper fingers are in-their front position, their pins 40 are first moved a number of furs sewed together) are 'autotowards each other while their guide memhere 46 travel in the lower halves of the cam grooves 34, and in this position the fur or the like can be introduced between the pairs of fingers 43, because said pairs of fingers 43 are then in the open position, as shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 6, the members 40 are forked andthe upper body portions 41 can Corresponding cam .mem

idler shaft 31 and these cam members33 are I move-up and down between the two parts of fur or skin is held in the stretched condition rear turn.

during a complete cycle of movement. The operator can readly remove the stretched skin while the members 46 are passing through the lower halves of the cam grooves 35, and he can readily insert anew skin or fur to be stretched while the members 46 are passing through the upper halves of the cam grooves 34. Hence, the furs are inserted and removed at the front of the device. Guides 48 are provided for the members 45, as shown in Fig. 3. i

i he purpose of the cam grooves 35 to somewhat relieve the tension upon theskin or fur while the fingers 43 are making their Experience has shown that when the gripping fingers pass around an arcuate surface that the distance between them is increased, so that at this point the fur is subjected to a stretching action in a direction parallel to the line of feed, in addition to the transverse stretching action before mentioned. In order to somewhat relieve this extra tension and prevent any injury to the skin or fur, the cam grooves 35 are shaped so as to somewhat relieve the tension during the first half of each rear arcuate moven'ientof each pair of gripping fingers.

In order to dry the furs while they are stretched, a lower heating chamber 13 is provided and this has a gas burner 14 therein.

The chamber 13 has a screen 16 which enables ready inspection thereof, and it isalso proover and over again, save that excess gases pass through the opening '55. The furs are thus subjected to a forced drying action continuously during the time that they are moved in the, stretched condition. The top portion 11 of the casing is preferably closed, save for vent 55.

In order to adjust the device for furs of varying width, the left-hand side guides 48 and 49 are mounted upon slides 54 which can be moved towards and away from the righthand fixed guides 48 and 49, by means of a screw 50 having a head 51 andco-operating with a nut in the usual manner.

As shown in Fig. 3, the fan 18 is mounted adjacent gear box 19.

My invention is particularly adapted for simultaneously stretching and drying furs, because furs are different in many respects from ordinary leather, but it is also useful for stretching leather and other materials which must be dried in the stretched condition.

It will be noted that the hot gases generated by the burner are forced to move in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the conveyers to which the spring fingers are connected. 1

Hence, the furs are subjected to a substantially uniform drying action at all times,

which I consider preferable to having theheating and drymg actlon, concentrated at any particular point of the stretching opera tion. 4 9 I have described a preferred embodiment changes and omissions could be made Without departing from its spirit.

, of my invention, but it is clear that numerous tion of a pair of conveyors, each having a.

series of gripper fingers mounted thereon, means adapted to actuate said gr pping lingers to the gripping position, means adapted to actuate the said conveyers, means adapt-' ed to. simultaneously cause the actuation of the said gripper fingers in a direction perpen dicular to the movement of the said' conveyers, and means adapted to intermittently cause the saidgripper fingers to be opened,

IUU

whereby a sheetof material can be inserted between the gripper fingers respectively mounted upon the said conveyers While said gripper fingers are in the open positiomand the said sheet of material thereafter be subj ected to a stretching action.

2. In a stretching machine, the combination of a pair of chain conveyers having, links, means adapted to move said chain conveyers in substantially parallel .and spaced paths,

gripping fingers slidably connected to the 7 said links and adapted to be moved in a transverse direction, guide means adapted to cause transverse movements of the said grippin fingers when the conveyersare actuated, and

means adapted to open and close the said gripping fingers.

3. In a stretching machine, the combination of two spaced series of gripping fingers, the members of. each seriesbeingarranged in respective pairs, means adapted to actuate the said seriesofgripping fingers in substantially parallel and spaced paths, means adapted to simultaneously cause the movement of the said corresponding pairs of fingers in opposite transverse directions, and

means adapted to cause the opening and closmg of the said gripping fingers.

4. In combination, a front shaft and a rear shaft operatively connected to the said front shaft, means adapted to simultaneously actuate the said shafts, spaced and substantially parallel chain conveyors connected to the said shafts and adapted to be actuated by the turning of the said shafts, the said chain conveyers having links, corresponding fingers slidably connected to the said links and adapted to be moved transversely, and cam means located adjacent each of'said shafts and adapted to cause the said gripping fin ers to be moved transversely to and fro wiile said gripping fingers are moving adjacentthe said shafts, means adapted to cause said gripping fingers to open as they move adjacent one of said shafts, and spring means connected to the said gripping fingers and adapted to hold them in the normally closed position.

5. In a machine for stretching sheets of material, the combination of movable conveyer means having movable gripping fingers connected thereto, the said gripping fingers being adapted to grip a sheet of material, and means adapted to automatically increase and decrease the distances between the gripping fingers engaging a sheet of material along two lines substantially perpendicular to each other, during the movement of the conveyer, so that the sheet of material is simultaneously and automatically stretched in different directions during the movement of the conveyer.

6. In a machine for stretching sheets of material, movable conveyer means having two series of movable gripping fingers connected thereto, the said fingers being adapted to grip a sheet of material and the like, and means adapted to automatically move corresponding gripping fingers in each of the said series away from each other so as to stretch the sheet of material along the line intermediate the said two series of gripping fingers during the movement of the conveyer, and means adapted to automatically move adjacent gripping fingers of the same series away from each other so as to increase the relative distance between them, during the movement of the conveyer.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GECILJ. soLoMoN. I 

